Thursday, September 6, 2012

Thinking about The Oath Keepers


I'm slightly aware of this group, but truthfully I know nothing about them except their stated premise of keeping their oath to the Constitution despite whatever other commands they are given. I've simply run across them in researching survival stuff a few years back. I'd like to think what they say is exactly what they mean, and not a guise for yet another paramilitary group.

With the increasing turmoil in the US, and our governmental making laws distancing itself from the Constitution, I've wondered a lot lately about the oath our military men and women take, and what it really means to them deep in their inner core

"Oath Keepers is a non-partisan association of currently serving military, reserves, National Guard, peace officers, and veterans who swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic … and meant it.

Our oath is to the Constitution, not to the politicians, and that oath will be
kept. We won’t “just follow orders." Source

There are detailed specifications of what the Oath Keepers have sworn NOT do to the American people, fully spelled out on the source page above. It's rather interesting.

I've wondered if we might ever have to depend on the Oath Keepers someday. Would my 3 brothers and 1 sister, all who were in the US military and swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign AND domestic, actually defend the Constitution in the face of peril?





I remember that US military troops were armed and told to shoot citizens if necessary during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. No, I'm not talking about criminal looters or thieves during that time, but shooting citizens who refused the confiscation of weapons. Seizing weapons was a violation of the right to bear arms, the Second Amendment, and lack of protection against unlawful search and seizure was a violation of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

I don't remember how bad it got at the time, but I do remember reading later the conflicting emotions of the soldiers involved. All of them obeyed their orders, but none felt at ease "making war" on American citizens.

But, they didn't stand up... will The Oath Keepers actually stand up?

3 comments:

  1. ... how quickly people forget the history of the founding of our country...and the price that was paid for our "constitutional republic".

    Although there is controversy as to whether Patrick Henry Wrote this quote or not, Still its content rings true with me:

    "The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."
    Quote Attributed to Patrick Henry

    I VOTE FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC. All the other issues wane in comparison to the foundation on which they are built...

    Leah's Mom

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  2. Not ALL of the guard units followed the order to disarm the citizens during Katrina. At least one company (I cannot remember which state it was from off the top of my head) refused it as an illegal order. Also there are two different military oaths one for enlisted which leaves a bit more leeway or wiggle room in my opinion and one for officers which is more restricting. I believe (Not certain as I have no direct knowledge) that the oath for civilian LEO and other government employees is different as well.

    I will state my feelings bluntly and make no apologies if someone takes offense. We have the same problem with open immigration in our military as we do in civilian life. Large numbers of immigrants both legal and illegal are invited into the military with open arms. The problem is a very many have gotten in so easy in my opinion they came for the easy money or what have you not for a desire to necessarily become an American and in many cases they feel more allegiance to their original country than the US. These soldiers will do as ordered regardless of the Constitution and will not feel the same revulsion towards restraining or harming citizens as others. Admittedly there are also natural born citizens in the military that would not care either so I am not pointing a finger at any one specific group.

    All that being said.... I think it is a toss up really. I give it a 50/50 chance it could go either way and will vary from region to region and unit to unit.

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